WASHINGTON – Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) used a speech last week to lay out the historical and economic arguments for his opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion, while making the case that traditional American values are disappearing.

In his address at the Catholic University in Washington, titled “Strong Values for a Strong America,” the potential 2016 presidential candidate talked about the erosion of certain values – such as education, hard work, strong marriages, and empowered parents – that boost prosperity in the country and lead to a “success sequence” for individuals.

“In America, if you get an education, find a good job, and wait until marriage to have children, your chances of achieving economic security and professional fulfillment are incredibly high,” Rubio said. “In fact, if everyone in America lived lives that went in this order, in the order I’ve just outlined, some estimates are that the poverty rate would be cut by an estimated 70 percent.”

Unfortunately, Rubio added, this sequence is becoming more difficult to accomplish for many Americans due to a lack of education, a declining marriage rate, a rising number of children raised in single-parent homes, and high unemployment.

“The ultimate responsibility for social well-being rests with us as a people – what we do as parents, neighbors, members of a church,” Rubio said. “No one is born with values, they have to be taught to us, reinforced. Strong families are the most effective teachers of these values.”

He also framed his message around economics, citing statistics about the challenges faced by children living in poor, uneducated single-parent homes.

“Over 20 percent of children raised without both parents live in poverty long-term, compared with just 2 percent of those raised in intact families. And only around 40 percent of children growing up in poor single parent homes will ever make it to the middle class or beyond,” he said.

Addressing the issue of same-sex marriage, Rubio lamented the backlash against companies like Mozilla and Chick-fil-A when their executives express their views on same-sex marriage.

He blamed supporters of gay marriage for the “growing intolerance” against those who support traditional marriage.

“I promise you even before this speech is over I’ll be attacked as a hater or a bigot or someone who is anti-gay. This intolerance in the name of tolerance is hypocrisy,” he said. “Supporting the definition of marriage as one man and one woman is not anti-gay, it is pro-traditional marriage.”

Rubio reminded the audience that President Obama did not declare his support for same-sex marriage until the months leading to his re-election.

“If support for traditional marriage is bigotry, then Barack Obama was a bigot until just before the 2012 election,” he said.

Rubio said he supports traditional marriage because “the union of one man and one woman is a special relationship that has proven to be of great benefit to our society, our nation and our people” and not because he seeks “to discriminate against people who love someone of the same sex.”

Nearly 60 percent of people polled by Gallup support same-sex marriage – a record high, but only 30 percent among Republicans. This has resulted in the legalization of same-sex marriage in 19 states and Washington, D.C.

Rubio has consistently opposed gay marriage throughout his political career, but he has voiced his support for the rights of states to regulate marriage. He acknowledged that American history was “marred by discrimination against gays and lesbians” and that many gay couples “feel humiliated by the law’s failure to recognize their relationship as marriage.”

My point being that for all of Rubio's talk, he's most remembered for his Amnesty bill and what he did to get it passed (and how it conflicted with what he promised during his election) - including numerous lies and completely taking slimeballs like Schumer at face value. At best that paints him as dangerously naive, at worst a completely two-faced politician who will say anything to get elected.

If I don't trust someone who is well-articulated then it's just air and noise passing through their lips. Any benefit of the doubt conservatives may have given Rubio has been utterly destroyed by what he did rather than what he said - which is worth more, substance or speeches?

We've been promised for decades now that all of these south of the border types are just conservatives waiting for a chance to vote. But for the same decades they have voted overwhelmingly for the marxist democrats. The supposedly socially conservative latinos, seem to put aside their social conservatism when the choices come down to more "free" stuff, or less of it. Sorry, but I'm not buying that promise any more.

"In his address at the Catholic University in Washington ... the potential 2016 presidential candidate ..."

Mr. Sermeno ... If you believe what you wrote as quoted above ... then you truly haven't been listening to those who voted Mr. Rubio into the Senate in '10 and who will NEVER vote for him again. Toast!

Enough with the soft bigotry of low expectations: Rubio makes the same canned speech repeated by a thousand other elected officials at a thousand rubber-chicken dinners and everyone from PJ Media to National Review to the GOP gasp with faux wonderment and pile on the headlines.

He is our Obama -- talentless but ethnically exotic enough to make politically correct, identity-politics-besotten consultants' little hearts go pitter-patter. And it is to our endless shame that so many on the Right want one of the same to call their own.

well RUBIO no vote from me: I am for gay civil unions and for choice to abort with strict time limits (2 months)- you lost me with your immigration amnesty and all Spanish robocalls . The idea is to get govt OUT of most of our life- get with the program or get off the stage

None of the values cited has a thing to do with federal responsibility. Washington can no more improve a school than it can stabilize a marriage. Is the Repub plan to lose again, because this is a good recipe for going down that road. Spare the moral scolding; cut the size, scope, and influence of the federal leviathan; protect the rights of the individual and otherwise get off people's backs with all these "we know better" ideas.

Let's examine this "invasion" of Illegal Aliens (children in tow)matter a little closer.1) "Open Borders" has actively consorted with government officials, (both in USA and foreign Central American nations) to stimulate a massive exodus of their citizens to the USA based upon fallacies in USCIS, Immigration and policies currently in place.2) Those parents, embarking upon "open Borders" announced " USA blanket amnesty program" (with siblings in tow), were legally married in their country of origin.3) Upon crossing America's borders (illegally) these same parents (with siblings in tow) soon learn in order for them to have at least a 90% chance of successful "amnesty" they must have a sibling born in the USA.4) This Illegal Alien parent (with sibling in tow) must now decide to practice adultery by copulating with some willing male subject, taking the fetus to term and designating that US born infant as an "anchor baby."5) So, in conclusion, US Democratic Party operatives having gains of voter numbers, have unwittingly caused an enormous underclass of bigamy and adulterers by encouraging this massive "Border Invasion" of Parents with siblings in tow, seeking to guarantee their status for amnesty and citizenship by adultery and bigamy.WOW! What's the difference between Satanic Evil in Democratic Party operatives and this Obama Administrations total disregard for the sanctity of 'family, unity and siblings health and life style?" "Secularism" is this Democratic Parties goal and never in any such distortion of the "Human Condition" has this ever been more evident than current "massive Illegal Immigration." Pray. Amen.DNC and all Progressive New Left Activists actively seeking destruction of family values and family unity. God Bless America. To DNC operatives "a Woman" is merely a political object and pawn...used for Political gains.